Collection-box for mail-chutes.



R. E. EDWARDS, GOLLEGTION BOX FOR MAIL GHUTES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8, 1909.

Patented Mar.8,1910.

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RUFUS EUGENE EDWARDS, OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 THOMAS J. KELLY, OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

COLLECTION-BOX FOR MAIL-CHUTES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 8, 1909.

Patented Mar. 8, 191d.

Serial No. 506,475.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Burns E. Eowxnns, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and Improved Collection-Box for Mail-Chutes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Collection boxes at the terminus of mail chutes as generally constructed, are usually filled to such an extent before the mail is removed that when the collection is made the mail tumbles out of the box on opening the box door, and falls in quantities to the ground or floor in spite of any precaution which might be taken by the collector. i

It is the object of this invention to overcome this objection by providing the box with a platform having extensible and contractible side walls, the platform and walls being foldable within the box, as when the box is closed, and movable to the front of the box and forming an extension from the door opening when the box is opened.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the vlews.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mail chute collection box having my improvement applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the box partly in section, with the platform in the position shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical section from front to rear of the box, with the platform folded therein; Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of one of the triangular or sectorshaped plates which enter into the construction of the side walls.

I have shown a mail collection box 10 of conventional form provided with a chute 11 entering at the top adjacent to the rear wall of the box, as is the general practice. The box 10 is further provided with a door 12 hinged to swing to one side.

In carrying out my invention I provide the box with a platform 18 having extensible and contractible side walls, each wall comprising a plate or flange 14 in fixed relation to the platform 13, and a plurality of triangular or sector-shaped plates 15 (three being shown), each plate, including the plate 14, overlapping at the edges with the adjacent plate or plates and having a slot 16 adjacent to its outer edge, in which slidably engages a pin 17 fixed to the adjoining plate. The free ends or vertices of the several triangular or sector-shaped plates of each wall are brought together and pivotally secured by a pin or rivet 18 which passes through the inner corner of the adjoining plate 14 and pivotally connects the platform to the box 10 at the bottom of the door opening.

The box 10 at the front has a depending lip or flange 10, with the inner face of which, projections 19 carried at the upper inner corners of the innermost plates 15 engage and prevent the further pivotal movement of the platform when the latter is in the operative position shown in Fig. 1.

The slots 16 of the several plates, co-nstitnting the side walls, are concentric to the pins 18 and are so arranged as to be each engaged at one end by the pin 17 of the adjoining plate when the platform is fully depressed, and, further, to permit of the side edges of the overlapping plates passing into approximate register and thus be compactly massed when the platform is swung into the box, as shown in Fig. 3. The platform is of such size as to neatly close the front of the box when moved to folded and inoperative position. With the platform thus arranged the door 12 may be closed and the passage of the letters through the chute 11 into the box will not be interfered with.

In order to prevent the letters from dropping between the plates 14 and 15, the top of the box is provided at each side with fixed guards or shields 20 which extend below the top edges of the plates of the side walls, as can be seen from Figs. 3 and 4. The platform is preferably provided with a finger opening 21 at its top or outer edge to pull the platform from the box in removing the mail. When the platform is lowered, the matter in the box, especially if the latter be filled, will tumble out through the door opening and will be caught by the platform and side walls and prevented from falling to the floor or ground.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination of a mail box having a door opening, a platform hinged to the box at the bottom of the opening to swing into and out of the box, overlapping plates connected to the platform and forming walls at opposite sides thereof, each plate of each Wall having a limited sliding movement. relatively to the next adjacent plate to permit of the walls passing into the box with the platform.

2. The combination of a mail box having a door opening, a platform hinged to the box at the bottom of the opening to swing into and out of the box, and overlapping plates connected to the platform and form ing walls at opposite sides thereof, each plate of each wall having a limited sliding movement relatively to the next adjacent plate to permit of the walls passing into the box with the platform, with the plates at each side of the platform arranged face to face in the planes in which they move.

3. The combination of a mail box having a door openin a platform, overlapping plates connected to the platform and forming walls at opposite sides thereof, each plate having a limited sliding movement relatively to the adjacent plates, and means pivotally connecting the inner ends of the plates to the platform and to the box at the bottom of the door opening 4. The combination of a mail box having a door opening, a platform, overlapping plates forming side walls for the platform,

and means pivotally connecting the platform and the inner ends of the plate to the box to permit of the platform swinging into and out of the door opening, each plate ha ving a slot arranged concentric to said means and provided with a pin slidably engaging in the slot of the next adjacent plate.

5. The combination of a mail box, and a platform arranged to receive and support the mail when the box is opened, movable within the box and having side walls, each constructed of sections slidable one on the other.

6. The combination of a mail box, and a platform aranged to receive and support the mail when the box is opened, hinged at its lower edge to swing within the box and having side walls, each constructed of a number of overlapping sections relatively movable edgewise in parallel planes.

7. The combination of a mail box, and a platform arranged to receive and support the mail falling out of the box when the latter is opened, said platform having side walls movable within the box, each side wall constructed of a number of sections independently movable in pa allel planes.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RUFUS EUGENE EDVARDS. lVitnesses JOHN J. Lnowrrn,

ELLA HETRIox. 

